More than $585,000 was raised in one night at Boothbay Harbor Country Club, when Southport residents Paul and Giselaine Coulombe hosted local leaders to learn about the Center of Excellence in Autism and Developmental Disorders opening in Westbrook next summer.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates 1 in 54 children have autism and approximately one in six children in the U.S. had a developmental disability, ranging from mild such as speech and language impairments to serious developmental disabilities, such as intellectual disability, cerebral palsy and autism. These estimates, and the scarcity of treatment centers for these individuals and their families, are why the Coulombes are so passionate about a new project aiming to meet this growing need.

Their passion around the project brought together a group of community leaders and interested family members to Boothbay Harbor Country Club Aug. 18 to hear about the exciting project. Speakers included Paul Coulombe, MaineHealth President Rich Petersen and Cathy Honeycomb, mother of young adult twins with autism. By the end of the evening, more than $585,000 was raised toward the innovative project.

Last spring, Maine Behavioral Healthcare broke ground on a 28,000 square foot treatment, training and research facility on the grounds of Spring Harbor Hospital. The project is a $14.7 million, state-of-the-art facility created to meet the growing needs of Maine families and individuals with a diagnosis of autism and other developmental disorders. MaineHealth, Maine Behavioral Healthcare’s parent organization, is providing half the funds, and a capital campaign has raised over $5.4 million prior to the event, from the community toward the other half, leaving just under $2 million to raise over the coming year.

The Coulombes understand what bringing a center like this will mean to the people of Maine, including those in the Midcoast, for families desperate for help.

“This is a solution for people who haven’t had the resources available to care for an autistic child and who then worry about the future when their children become adults,” Coulombe stated. “I’m so thrilled that (Maine Behavioral Healthcare has) taken this big step forward in deciding to construct a Center of Excellence in Autism and Developmental Disorders right here in Maine.”

The project is led by Maine Behavioral Healthcare’s Vice President of Medical Affairs for Autism and Developmental Disorders Dr. Matthew Siegel, a nationally recognized expert in building programs to treat the emotional and behavioral challenges of this population. “Our vision is to provide Maine people with access to a lifespan-oriented, full- service integrated treatment, research and training center that will not only meet the needs of Maine families, but it will also generate new treatment models, and advance autism science for the benefit of all,” said Siegel.

To support the capital campaign to build the center, contact Michelle Zichella, VP Development at Maine Behavioral Healthcare, 207-661-6100 or zichem@mainebehavioralhealthcare.org<mailto:zichem@mainebehavioralhealthcare.org